polara Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 Despite being in "sell" mode lately, I came across something on The Gear Page I couldn't resist. A 1979 Sunburst, natural top, bound and crowned, and all unmolested from case to bullseye tuners, apart from a replaced nut. Looks clean in the photos, and the price was right. FedEx will be here at 1pm or so. Pics to come! Who wants dibs? when I inevitably stick it under the bed because all I actually play is the Tom Anderson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travis Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 If it’s got a fat neck I’ll call dibs. Only reason why I sold off my ‘78 B&C Sunburst years ago is because the neck was a little flatter/thinner than I wished it was. I’ve heard the 77’s had pretty thick necks but I’m sure your ‘79 will be pretty similar to what I had. It’ll play and sound killer, tho. Congrats! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polara Posted May 2, 2019 Author Share Posted May 2, 2019 Clean enough to eat off... great shape apart from a ding in the headstock. Neck isn't small. Case is different from later Hamers: different shape and handle. And the cutaway on the bass side is in a straight line to the one on the treble side (though the horn is still longer). Interesting to see how the guitars evolved, as this is the oldest Hamer I've ever touched. Can't wait to plug it in! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louhamer Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 You scored a nice one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSII x 2 Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 Great find! Congrats! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travis Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 40 minutes ago, polara said: Neck isn't small. Yup, dibs.... Looks fantastic. Let us know how it sounds. I mean, we all know it'll be amazing. But still, let us know... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DBraz Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 Looks lovely! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sixesandsevens Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 I would take a crack at that when you move it on. Congrats! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich_S Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 Nice. Someday.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottcald Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 Looks great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ARM OF HAMER Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 Congrats! That guitar IS beautiful and....................... clean,it really shows off well. Sure its going to be a BEAST! Enjoy that one.! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pirateflynn Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 Beauty! That one use to belong to Michael_B. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrjamiam Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 Happy NOHD! Congrats and enjoy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texsunburst59 Posted May 2, 2019 Share Posted May 2, 2019 That is a really nice and clean example. Congrats!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polara Posted May 2, 2019 Author Share Posted May 2, 2019 31 minutes ago, pirateflynn said: Beauty! That one use to belong to Michael_B. Dang! I didn't recognize it because it no longer has a brass nut, but one that looks like white tusq. Otherwise yup, still the same. They all find their way back home to the HFC, eh? Whoever put the nut in did a weird setup job: truss rod was overtightened so it had backbow and the saddles were kind of high. I relieved it and dropped the saddles so it now has my preferred medium action. But the nut needs a LOT of work: it might as well be made of glue it's so sticky. The guitar can't be tuned... I reckon ten minutes with some emery paper and a little lube we'll be okay. Michael_B has dibs if it ever leaves my sweaty paws... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disturber Posted May 3, 2019 Share Posted May 3, 2019 Polara. THIS IS EXTREMELY COOL. I have number 9 0950, two numbers from yours. And it looks just the same!! It is also in a very fine condition. I bought it on ebay around 2003 from someone in the San Fransisco vincinity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polara Posted May 3, 2019 Author Share Posted May 3, 2019 Wow! Twins! That is cool. Man, I wish I could bond with it but I cannot figure how to make it work in my band. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Haynie Posted May 3, 2019 Share Posted May 3, 2019 Start a different kind of band. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmatthes Posted May 4, 2019 Share Posted May 4, 2019 On 5/2/2019 at 6:50 PM, polara said: Whoever put the nut in did a weird setup job: truss rod was overtightened so it had backbow and the saddles were kind of high. I relieved it and dropped the saddles so it now has my preferred medium action. But the nut needs a LOT of work: it might as well be made of glue it's so sticky. The guitar can't be tuned... I reckon ten minutes with some emery paper and a little lube we'll be okay. Michael_B has dibs if it ever leaves my sweaty paws... Were you able to tune/intonate it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kizanski Posted May 4, 2019 Share Posted May 4, 2019 3 hours ago, cmatthes said: Were you able to tune/intonate it? He didn't have it long enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polara Posted May 4, 2019 Author Share Posted May 4, 2019 It got better: between the truss rod being over-tight, and the strings not being properly stretched, and the nut not really being smooth I could bend it and it would say almost a half-step sharp on the D and G. It's still not perfect, but I think lube and new strings, maybe a little more time loosening up the nut, it'l be good. Just doesn't make the kind of sounds I like. Bummer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kizanski Posted May 4, 2019 Share Posted May 4, 2019 28 minutes ago, polara said: Just doesn't make the kind of sounds I like. Bummer. Have you never played a Hamer Special/Sunburst from the '70s or '80s? They pretty much all sound the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polara Posted May 4, 2019 Author Share Posted May 4, 2019 20 minutes ago, kizanski said: Have you never played a Hamer Special/Sunburst from the '70s or '80s? They pretty much all sound the same. Nope. I heard The Legend and as they don't exactly line the walls of the local shops, had to go on faith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polara Posted May 8, 2019 Author Share Posted May 8, 2019 Had it for five days. Lessons learned: Don't try to enjoy a guitar, 'specially one you've been pacing up and down, waiting for FedEx to deliver, when you have a fever and are blowing Gorilla Glue out every orifice. Yes, that one, too. The guitar will disappoint you, because you'll still feel like crap after playing it and every little issue will leave you exhausted. Assume that people selling guitars have not set it up well at all, let alone to your liking. This poor Sunburst had: A drastically overtightened truss rod, so the saddles were jacked up accordingly A new nut that was, to be charitable, not quite dialed in... Pickups too close to the strings Some guitars need a different amp than you have been using, or at least different settings. The beauty of the Fractal Audio stuff is that you have access to a lot of different amps and cabs. Made a new bank for the Sunburst, with the same effects only a Morgan AC20 running into a Alnico Blue 112 cab model, tweaked the Big Muff model, and bang... it sounds great And refer back to 1) above It's pretty badass. Really easy to play and has a lot of character. Roll the volume off the bridge pickup a little to tame it, then you can roll it back up when you have both pickups on, to get that weird out-of-phase sound if you want. Working on a gig for the 31st now, and I think the Sunburst will be the one I play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottcald Posted May 8, 2019 Share Posted May 8, 2019 Glad you're getting on with it. Please post up some vid of the gig so we can hear it in action. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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